Flying cars will soon be a reality as Terrafugia Transition inched closer to its debut. The automaker has started taking orders for pre-sales of the two-seat roadable aircraft, with an expected price tag of $400,000. The company also looks to unveil another concept car during the launch event, according to reports.
The ‘flying car’ is claimed to have the capability to switch between driving and flying modes within a minute. With a hybrid electric motor that can push the vehicle to 100 miles per hour on the road and a boost feature in flight mode, the vehicle also comes with updated safety systems including improved seat belts, airbags, and increased visibility with three rear-viewing cameras in drive mode.
Terrafugia partnered with Dynon for avionics and BRS for a full frame parachute system. The vehicle has been designed to comply with Federal Aviation Administration and National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration standards. The production of the flying car has been set to start in 2019.
The vehicle will be mechanized by a 4-cylinder, 4-stroke engine that is powered by premium unleaded fuel for flying. A hybrid electrical engine will be helping it to run on the road. Terrafugia officials have already undertaken several tests on the Transition to make it the world’s first practical flying car.
Uber, on the other hand, has launched an aerial taxi prototype with the first fleet commercial operation to begin in five years and start testing flights in select cities by 2020. A Google (GOOGL)-backed flying car Cora has been on the rounds of test flights that was developed by California-based Kitty Hawk. Ford (F) and Airbus are also building their type of flying car.
A wide range of automakers worldwide is coming out with new versions of their flying car – which includes Slovakian-made Aeromobil, Dutch-made PAL-V Liberty, German-made Lilium Jet, British-made VRCO NeoXCraft etc.
Terrafugia has an advantage over other players in the flying car’s market as the company is inching closer to the debut of Transition with the launch date set for 2019. On the other hand, the rest of the manufacturers are preparing for their prototypes with a launch date likely to be 2020. Experts believe that Terrafugia can utilize their footprint in the market by establishing itself to be the next Tesla (TSLA) in the flying car industry.